Pizzeria Orso

I'm a lover of food. My better half and I went out for our last date night together before baby number 4 decides to make his appearance. We wanted to get out during DC's restaurant week and enjoy fine cuisine on a dime. Unfortunately, we didn't call soon enough to get a reservation. We originally thought it'd be nice to eat at 2941 Restaurant. We'd heard so many great things about the incredibly delicious and expensive entrees at 2941 for about $65 per person. During restaurant week, you can try a special variety of foods from the top restaurants in DC for half the price. Without that reservation, we got desperate and stopped at the first pizzeria we found. I cannot adequately describe the deliciousness of Pizzeria Orso. The only way to fully understand its goodness is to try it. Well I have good news! I complimented the chef after biting into the incredible baked eggplant. Minutes later, Chef Bertrand Chemel showed up at our table. We found out that he'd recently been brought over to Pizzeria Orsa temporarily to revamp their menu. Turns out, Chef Chemel is the executive chef at none other than 2941 Restaurant! Did we get lucky or what?! He described the process of making his incredible baked eggplant and tomato sauce and then offered to email it to me. I don't know if it was the pregnancy hormones or his beautiful french accent, but you've never seen a happier girl! I shed a tear. I'd like to share his recipe with the world. Your welcome.

Honey Glazed Eggplant & tomato compote

Honey Eggplant: serve 6 to 8
3 long Chinese or Japanese eggplant
1  1/3  cup olive oil
¼ cup honey
3 garlic gloves with skin, lightly crushed
4 sprigs rosemary
¾ cup Marsala also great with dry sherry wine
One pinch of dry Pepperoncino

Tomato compote:
6 ripe plum or field tomato
¼  cup olive oil
2 sprigs basil
2 sprigs rosemary
2 sprigs sage

Method:

1: Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and prepare an ice bath, Cut a small X in the end of each
tomato and drop them in the boiling water for 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, remove the tomatoes from the boiling water and drain, and then submerge them in the ice water until cool. Peel, core and seed the tomatoes, then cut them into quarters.
2: In a sauce pan , cook the tomatoes at medium heat to remove the tomato water, after few minutes  skin out the tomato water and keep cooking until the tomatoes stop releasing water, add the herbs and olive oil and salt to taste. Simmer the tomato for 15 to 20 minutes then remove the herbs.
3: peel the eggplants, cut them 3 to 4 inch wide and trim top and bottom to be flat.
4 :in a large skillet, heat the olive oil, add the eggplant and sauté over medium high heat until dark brown color all over, about 5  minutes. Add the honey and caramelized the eggplant at high heat, after 3 to 4 minutes add the garlic and rosemary, deglaze and flambé with the sherry wine, add the pepperocino and salt. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the eggplants are soft.

 

*baked eggplant not picture, we ate it too fast! 

*pictured above, la pizza prosciutto 

la pizza toscana

blood orange sundae with chocolate cookies